The softer side of the Super Bowl

02.02.2015

This year’s advertising line-up on the Super Bowl (XLIX, for those keeping score in Ancient Rome) was all about dads. And making people happy. And love. Oh, and hashtags. They were big. You couldn’t call yourself a hip and happening “super” marketer without one.

There was so much sweetness and light that you almost forgot the highly testosterone-charged scandals of the season–Ray Rice beating his wife in the elevator (sorry, NFL, your “it’s up to us to listen” PSA, however heartrending, does not make up for your own deafness on the issue of spousal assault and battery), the continuing saga of the Washington football team’s name, concussions and long-term traumatic brain injury and Adrian Peterson’s unique theory of parenting.

Almost, but not quite.

Still, there were moments of pure delight and genuine creativity, among them:

– BMW’s new hybrid i3 proving, if nothing else, that great chemistry is forever.

– Nissan’s #withdad, honoring a family’s struggle to stay together (and safe) on the road of life and on the racetrack.